Combat

Mettle Reactions

All Mettle-spent actions. Mettle = (SAVVY + GRIT) ÷ 2, rounded up. Refreshes at session start; partial refresh on Critical and at Long Rest.

Action Cost Effect Timing
Dive 1 Use Take Cover outside your turn. Against one ranged attack, before rolling.
Dodge 1 Add your QUICK rank to your Defense. Against one melee attack, before rolling.
Parry 1 Add your Melee Skill rank to your Defense. Against one melee attack, before rolling.
Intercept 1 Take a hit meant for an adjacent ally. When the ally is hit, before damage.
Steel 1 Reroll a failed Willpower or Fear check. Immediately after failing.
Push 1 Reroll one die in your pool. Must keep the second result. After rolling.
Desperation 2 Enable exploding 8s for this roll (with Cursed Die risk). Before rolling.

Mettle is the system’s answer to “the dice don’t always have to win.” Without Mettle, a bad streak is a death sentence. With Mettle, a clever player can buy their way out of three bad rolls a session.